Path

Eslistas y Blingüeros!

By now you all probably know this, but this afternoon (May 1), the Minnesota State Senate passed the “Path to Prosperity Act,” Minnesota’s version of the Dream Act. According to the Trib article, if it becomes law, the Act will make “undocumented students eligible for state financial aid, in-state tuition, and private scholarships.” []

**This is a HUGE STEP towards the Dream for our students.** Today, thousands of our students' dreams are more possible than ever before. This is what you work for every day – and with today’s vote, 41 Minnesota State Senators (including a “handful of Republicans”) just gave your efforts a huge boost.

It’s a boost, but also a huge vote of confidence in the work you’re doing. Today 41 Lawmakers showed that they understand what we know: the education you’re giving your students is producing graduates who BELONG in college! The “Path to Prosperity” the Act refers to isn’t simply prosperity for the students and their families. It’s saying that sending your motivated and college-ready students to our state college and universities is one of the safest bets we have for contributing to the prosperity of the entire state!

I think we all feel proud, grateful, and hopeful. And maybe best, this renews a challenge to us – it raises the bar – because now we know how much further our success with our students can put them!

The article explains that while the House didn’t create a version of the bill, he Senate bill will still move on to “Conference Committee.”
 * SO WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? **

**IS THIS GOOD OR BAD?** We asked Jim Grathwol, the District’s Lobbyist, what this meant in terms of the Act’s chance to become law. He responded that “we love Conference Committee.”

//**WHY DO WE LOVE CONFERENCE COMMITTEES?**// Here’s how it works. The Senate and the House both passed versions of an Omnibus Education Bill, the bill that funds education. Now the two different versions have to be reconciled and combined into a single version of the bill to be voted on by the entire Legislature.

This “combined version” will be created by the ten members of the Conference Committee – five Senators and five Reps. Since the Path to Prosperity Act will impact education funding, it becomes part of this conference and is eligible to be made part of the final Omnibus Education Act.

W**HAT’S GOOD ABOUT THE JOINT VERSION OF THE BILL?** The revised version of the Omnibus Education Act that the Committee produces can’t be amended; it can only debated and voted on as it’s written.

According to Jim, if at least six of the ten members of the Conference Committee (three Senators and three Reps) support it, the Path to Prosperity Act will make it into the Omnibus Education Bill. If that happens, it’ll probably pass the final vote, and Governor Dayton will sign it into law.
 * TO BECOME PART OF THE JOINT OMNIBUS BILL …. **

In the next day or so, the Legislature will announce the names of the 10 Conference Committee members. When THAT happens, anyone who supports the Act will want to contact those members and let them know that you support it. There will probably be some automatic YES votes and some automatic NO votes – so you’ll want to keep an eye out for info on possible “swing votes.” (We'll post the names here ...)
 * SO THIS IS THE KEY MOMENT **
 * & HERE’S WHERE YOU COME IN... **

// The key will be to contact those "swing votes." But it'll be especially effective if you (or someone you know) from the legislator's actual District contacts them. The Legislators represent all Minnesotans, but they'll listen a lot more closely to the wishes of their actual constituents! //

The eyes of the world are on us – and across the state and country, people will be hoping and working for the dreams of your students.
 * MINNESOTA HAS BECOME A NATIONAL LEADER today. **


 * THANKS for being part of what made this possible, **

John

John J. Wolfe ELL Program Facilitator Multilingual Department Minneapolis Public Schools 1250 West Broadway, N3-251 Minneapolis, MN 55413-2498 Office: 612.668.0174 Direct: 612.668.0417 Fax: 612.668.0419

//“It is not your responsibility to finish the work, but you are not free to abandon it either.” (Rabbi Tarfon,// Pirke Avot 2:21)